Donating Blood at Baystate Health
Donate Blood at Baystate Medical Center
Our blood donation center is located at Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, Massachusetts on Daly 1. The hours of operation are Monday – Thursday 8 am - 4:30 pm and Fridays 8 am – 12 pm.
Make an Appointment to Donate at a Community Hospital Blood Drive
Online scheduling is not available for community hospital blood drives. To make an appointment, call 413-794-4600.
The Baystate Health Blood Donation team will host blood drives at Baystate Franklin Hospital, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Wing Hospital
Donors will receive a $10 gift card to Dunkin', Amazon, or Big Y.
2026 Community Hospital Blood Drives
The blood drives will be held from 8:30 am – 2 pm in the Old Endoscopy Suite (First Floor) on:
- January 7
- February 4
- March 4
- April 1
- April 29
- May 27
- June 24
- July 22
- August 19
- September 16
- October 14
- November 11
- December 9
The blood drives will be held from 8:30 am – 2 pm on:
- January 12
- March 9
- May 4
- July 6
- September 14
- November 9
The blood drives will be held from 8:30 am – 2 pm in Snow Conference Room “C” on:
- February 11
- April 8
- June 3
- August 5
- October 7
- December 2
Host a Blood Drive With Us
We are pleased to offer organizations, and community partners the opportunity to host a blood drive. Hosting a blood drive is a meaningful way to support patients in our community while bringing people together around a shared cause.
Blood donations play a critical role in saving lives every day. By hosting a blood drive, your organization helps ensure a stable local blood supply for patients in need, close to home.
Contact: Judith.Maylott@baystatehealth.org
What the Host Provides
- Location: A large open room with enough space to ensure donor privacy.
- Volunteers: For recruiting, scheduling, supporting donors and facilities staff to help set up blood donor chairs/break down donor chairs.
- Donors: You'll need to recruit and schedule donors for your drive.
What Baystate Blood Donor Program Provides
- Planning Assistance: You'll work with Baystate Blood Donor Program to plan and organize the blood drive. We will also provide a sign-up sheet for scheduling appointments.
- Recruitment Tools: We'll help you determine how many donors you need and recruitment tools to assist you.
- Equipment & Supplies: We'll bring everything we need to your locations, set up/take down (with the help of volunteers/facilities staff) and snack/drinks.
- Trained Staff: Our staff will confidentially screen donors and collect donations, safely, and professionally.
Tips for a Successful Blood Drive
- Work with Baystate Blood Donor Program representative throughout the process, we're here for any advice and to answer questions.
- Set the date in advance, avoid scheduling conflicts with other major events in your organization or previously booked blood drives.
- Recruiting is most effective when done face-to-face, and you can reach more people by spreading the effort among your team than doing it alone.
- Appointments are critical to running a smooth drive.
- Advertise through newsletters, bulletin boards, hallways, elevators, social media pages, etc. Have fun with it!
- Follow your "Blood Drive Checklist" (provided by us) for key steps to complete 4-6 weeks out, 2 weeks out, the week before, and the day of your drive.
Blood Donation FAQs
Should I eat before donating blood?
Yes, we recommend a meal or a snack within four hours before donating.
How is blood used?
A gift of whole blood is usually divided into red cells and plasma, so that one gift can help more than one individual.
Premature infants, surgical patients, accident victims, and persons with leukemia and other diseases often require blood transfusions.
How often can you donate blood?
You can donate whole blood every 56 days and up to five times each year.
Platelet donors, who take part in a special process called apheresis, can donate as frequently as every 48 hours, or 24 times each year.
What are the requirements for donating blood?
Blood donors must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. There is no maximum age limit.
I tried donating blood but my iron was too low. Does that mean I shouldn't try donating blood again?
No! Iron levels fluctuate all the time.
To keep your iron levels up, include the below items in your diet:
- Beef and turkey
- Beef liver and chicken liver
- Canned sardines (with oil)
- Clams and mollusks
- Mussels and oysters
- Broccoli
- Cooked beans
- Dried apricots
- Iron-enriched cereals
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Squash seeds
- Tofu
- Nutrition drink mixes
- Carnation instant breakfast
- Ovaltine
- Prune juice
- Tomato juice
- Vegetable juice
Can I donate my own blood for an upcoming procedure?
You cannot donate blood to yourself.
Will you tell me my blood type?
Yes!
About four weeks after your first donation to Baystate Health, we will know your blood type and can share it with you in person during your next donation.
I want to donate my blood, but I would like to ask a question about deferrals first. How can I do that?
Contact our Donor Center at 413-794-4600 during the hours we are open: Monday – Thursday 8 am - 4:30 pm and Fridays 8 am – 12 pm.
How much blood do you donate?
You will give about 1 pint of blood during a single donation. An average adult has about 10 pints of blood in their body.
Does the blood stay within my local community?
When you donate blood to Baystate Health, your precious gift remains in our local communities.
How do I know if my blood is safe for patient use?
Following your donation, we will test your blood to make sure your blood or platelets are safe for patient use. We'll notify you of any abnormal findings.
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